The Truth About Exposure Compensation

What is Exposure Compensation! How does it work, which camera modes does it work in and when should you use it! Well today I’ll explain and demonstrate how and when to use it so that you can achieve the perfect shot.
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Video Time-line
00:00 The Truth About Exposure Compensation
01:36 Which Camera Modes can you use Exp Comp
02:29 How to use Exposure Compensation
05:22 Examples of using Exposure Compensation
Gear used during this video:
Nikon Z6II
Nikon 24-85mm f3.5-f5.6 FX lens
Tokina AT-X 17-35mm f/4 FX Lens
Sony ZV-1
Vanguard Altra 264AP Tripod
DJI Mic Wireless Microphone

[@tresjames]

Wow thank you. Now I know why exposure compensation wasn’t working in manual mode.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad that I could help you out 😊

[@michaelpressey4715]

Thanks Charles , good information there.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You are very welcome Mike 🙏

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks Charles for a great tutorial...I tend to have darker images on my D500 & have to use the adjustment to get a better result.... cheers 😊

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful! On my D500 it was the opposite and I often had to use -0.3 to make sure I didn't overexpose images

[@IRAQI4EVERxX]

Thank you sir 🙏🏼❤

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You are very welcome

[@typhoon-7]

On the Nikon Z lenses I use the innermost customisable ring for exposure compensation. Live histogram in EVF and monitor. Works well for me. If I'm taking landscapes I'm in Aperture priority mode, with ISO locked so it just adjusts the shutter accordingly.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thanks for sharing! I don't own any Z lenses.

[@DrGreenthumbPhd]

I do manual with auto iso and the ring set to exposure compensation. Works so well with the Z 24-120 F4.

[@CoenradJMorgan]

Very informative, thank you for the effort in making this. Question, some Nikons , maybe all the new ones, have a protect highlights setting, would this avoid clipping allowing for exposure correction in post if shooting RAW? I do however recognise that getting it right at time of capture is the goal.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

@CoenradJMorgan From the Nikon literature: "Highlight-weighted metering is a new metering mode that is offered in select Nikon DSLR & Mirrorless cameras, in which the camera meters the highlights to ensure that they are properly exposed and not blown out or overexposed. Use highlight-weighted metering to meter highlights when your subject is in motion, and to meter subjects lit by spotlights or colored lighting. Highlight-weighted metering is the go-to choice when you’re photographing a spot lit bride in her wedding dress, a dancer or singer on stage, or whenever you’re faced with uneven lighting and a background that is much darker than the subject."

[@martineudall]

Charles a quick point more info is recoverable to the right of centre histogram but not blown than to the left of centre Keep the histogram in the eyepiece for accurate eV metering

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you

[@usernamemykel]

Charles, you stated that exposure compensation is possible in Manual Mode if Auto ISO is set. I've two Canon cameras, a T-3/1100D and a 7D Mark II, both in Manual mode with Auto ISO, and only exposure BRACKETING, not Exposure Compensation is possible - please explain. Many thanks!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you, I wasn't aware of that, but I don't use Canon cameras so it may be different. 🤔

[@94Ninsound94]

Hello Sir. 6:25 on the second photos, aren’t the cloud overexposed now?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

No they are not, it's close to being overexposed, but it not.

[@straitjacketstudios]

What's the difference between using Exposure Compensation and just reducing the shutter speed or aperture size (assuming these adjustments are not relevant to the final image)?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

To do this you would be in Manual Mode, and like I stated in the video Exposure Compensation doesn't work in Manual Mode. Exposure Compensation is a great tool to use when you shoot in Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority

[@TiborJager]

Wich metering are you using?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

I'm using Matrix Metering, which means that the camera's meter is looking at the whole frame, not just the center of it if I was using center-weighed metering.

[@TiborJager]

@@CharlesNPhotography Thank you!

[@JK-uu8zm]

RAW is the answer

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You can still overexpose a raw file 🤔

[@Aitchy4skin]

You can definitely still overexpose in raw I think you will find most people shoot in raw

[@jaym5938]

Stop watching Jared Polin.

[@JK-uu8zm]

Who's that ? I promoted no one

[@CharlesNPhotography]

The file format you does not change how the photo is taken, it's the setting used that matters.

[@sanderromer6490]

It also works with manual and fixed iso. The lightmeter will be affected

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Exposure Compensation will not work in Manual Mode with a set ISO. How can the camera adjust the exposure if the Exposure, Shutter speed and ISO are fixed 🤔

[@PrebenMunter]

On My Canon 6d II when using manual mode and fixed ISO, the compensation turns to bracketing. The following 3 photos will then be taken with set shutterspeed +/- 1 stop.

[@sanderromer6490]

@@CharlesNPhotography The camera does not adjust but it offsets the lightmeter. Lets say without compensation, 1/125, f8 and iso100, the lightmeter is exact in the middle; correct exposure. When correction set at-1 stop, the "correct" exposure according to your lightmeter is now 1/125 f11, iso 100. Try it.

[@sanderromer6490]

@@CharlesNPhotography Too bad I cannot post pictures.

[@pjc3163]

Charles is correct. I tried this on my D810; yes it allows you to use the exposure compenastation function but nothing happens to any of the three settings (shutter, aperture & ISO). I checked all images I test shot. The exposure stays the same. I tested my D700 & the venerable D200 as well; both the same results. Once you swith to AutoISO the exposure compensation works.